This week's new release recommendations

It's very possible that Danny Boyle is the filmmaker of this generation, and his current big-screen adaptation of the incredible real-life survival story of Aron Ralston—the hiker who cut his own arm off with a dull pocket knife after being trapped beneath a boulder—looks to be another revolutionary winner; expect a transcendental cinema experience that won't be easily forgotten.

Robert Downey Jr. and Zack Galifianakis star as the ultimate odd couple in this comedy about two guys whom fate (or bad luck?) place together on a cross-country road trip. The combination of such versatile talent as what these two can offer will likely (and hopefully) make for an intelligent laughfest.

Will Ferrell is the blue-domed evil guru and Brad Pitt his arch-rival—the perfect superhero—in this heavily-hyped DreamWorks Animation picture. Like so many other CGI efforts (well, really all CGI efforts that aren't Pixar produced), this one has the chance to be original and funny, or to just teeter pathetically on the shoulders of its many predecessors.

This espionage thriller showcases the superior acting abilities of Naomi Watts and Sean Penn with the former playing a CIA agent whose operative knowledge becomes compromised; Penn is her husband who suddenly becomes a target after the information leak. Another great-looking story that just might ride its superstar cast's performances all the way to the award shows.

Satire-extraordinaire takes center screen with this dark British comedy that follows the 'training period' of four Jihadist terrorists whose collective clumsiness and naiveté just might add up to one suitable soldier; a controversial but oh so needed laugh at the expense of the extremists of our world.

This Aussie import tells a 'modern' old west-like fable about a police officer who moves to the titular small-town in search of some peace and quiet, but instead stumbles upon a scene rife with high-stakes violence and bloodshed.

The next big French-cinema epic from acclaimed director Rachid Bouchareb is a period piece about three brothers in post-WWII Algeria who join that country's struggle for independence from France; this should be a high quality and hard-hitting film.

A unique movie that is perhaps best qualified as a 'jazz musical,' and showcases the relationship of the namesake characters and places them upon a larger stage of dance, live performances, and a documentary-style look that should be an all-around aesthetically pleasing experience.

A documentary about the notorious former-New York governor/current CNN talking-head whose 'it's us vs. them' platform stance while in office in regards to the then-impending financial crisis might have possibly—this film argues, at least—ushered in Spitzer's political demise. Notwithstanding of course is the man's highly publicized night life that ultimately destroyed his credibility in the public's eye—and this film examines it all.

Share this article

Comments

Derek Kester is an enthusiastic moviegoer who thoroughly enjoys watching a film and then sitting down to write about it afterwards. By bringing his perspective to the art of cinema, Derek hopes that a relevant and open-ended conversation will ensue; feel free to contact him at derekester@hotmail.com.